Running after two babies and a dream

Endamame- why Soytainly!

Today’s training: This morning I ran easy for 35 minutes around town, kinda just running wherever my shoes wanted to go. It was around 4 miles, it was damp and cool, and I felt great after taking yesterday off. Super start to my Friday:)

Now onto endamame! What do these little Japanese soybeans have to offer you?

They’re high in fiber, protein, and antioxidants, Vitamins C and A. They’ve been shown to decrease cholesterol. For workouts, studies have shown they can help with muscle recovery. Mostly- they taste really good.

I typically just break these guys out of their little pods (I buy both frozen or fresh, whatever I find first), and eat ’em up as a snack w a little salt. You can find them shelled, too, but I prefer the pod method. You can add them in almost anything you make: stir-fry, your quinoa party salad, regular salads, pasta, pasta salads, soup, and I digress…

I puree them for b., and I’ll spread some on my veggie burger or on a cucumber sandwich- it’s tasty, I see why he likes it! Or you can try them this way (both are vegan, by chance) and the hummus is sooo good:

Endamame Corn Salad

1/2 whole red onion, diced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 8-ounce packages edamame, thawed

1 can corn kernels

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lime juice

In a skillet heat olive oil. Simmer onion until it begins to brown. Add garlic, simmer for about a minute.

Add edamame and corn, simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add tomatoes and basil. Stir well.

Add salt balsamic vinegar, salt and lime juice.

OR:

Edamame hummus (try it with ONE serving size of pita chips;)

2 cups shelled edamame, cooked (I used frozen)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup tahini

juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup or to taste)

1 teaspoon dried, ground coriander

3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Sauté the onion for a minute or two until translucent. Add the garlic and cook about 3o seconds.

Place edamame, onion, garlic, tahini and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until well- combined. It doesn’t have to be completely smooth. Add coriander and salt. Pulse to mix. (Taste before adding all the salt as you might not need it all.) Grind pepper over the bowl and pulse to mix.

Serve with veggies, chips, pita or crackers.

Homework this weekend?? Eat some endamame! And have a soy-licious Friday!!